Berkeley Media Studies Group

What is the dominant narrative about parks and green space? And how is that different from the narrative we want to see? As communities across the country are working to ensure that parks and green space are accessible to everyone, a new messaging guide, developed by PHI’s Berkeley Media Studies Group with support from the People, Parks, and Power (P3) initiative, can equip advocates and organizers with the communication tools they need to make an effective case to decision-makers and center those with the most at stake.

Parks are integral parts of our communities that benefit our health, but many neighborhoods lack them as a result of redlining, segregation, and other racist policies and practices. What’s more, problematic narratives have mischaracterized parks and green space as nice bonuses rather than as essential parts of a healthy community. Our new messaging guide, created with support from the People, Parks, and Power initiative, can help advocates shift conversations about parks and green space toward the reality we want to see, while centering those with the most at stake. This guide can reinforce the important work already happening in communities across the country to ensure that parks and green space are accessible to everyone. Read the resource: https://ow.ly/lnRJ50TXFoO.

Interested in media and communication — and how they can be used to support public health and social justice? You might be a good fit for BMSG’s small but mighty remote team as a full-time Research Associate! The Research Associate will conduct quantitative and qualitative media research that supports clients and funders who work on a range of public health policy issues — from violence prevention to housing to racial justice and more — and want to understand how those issues appear in media coverage. Learn more and apply: https://ow.ly/Uezy50TWBkO.

Our incredible research team says hello from Minneapolis! #APHA2024 #phiAPHA American Public Health Association

Folks at American Public Health Association's Annual Meeting, we'd love to see you. Stop by our sessions today! #APHA2024 #phiAPHA

BMSG is excited to join fellow researchers in Minneapolis to do our small part in fostering healthy information environments, as part of APHA 2024 — Rebuilding Trust in Public Health and Science. During a pre-conference workshop on Saturday, our team will be offering tips for communicating about health equity and why it matters amid attacks on this work. Then, during our sessions on Monday, Oct. 28, we will equip advocates to communicate about difficult topics like the intersection of domestic violence and firearms, and the problematic narratives that have mischaracterized parks and green space as nice bonuses rather than as essential parts of a healthy community. Learn more about our sessions: https://ow.ly/Raep50TTuzn. #APHA2024 #phiAPHA

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY & CITY HEALTH OFFICIALS NACCHO's #RootsofHealthInequity course features interviews with a diverse array of researchers, community organizers, and practitioners sharing stories of community power-building, narrative transformation, and social justice for health equity. As a curriculum advisor and a featured voice from the field, BMSG's Katherine Schaff discusses our work in the module on Building Narrative Power. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/giwWX5cZ.

Food, beverage, and restaurant companies are using innovative and problematic digital marketing strategies to promote unhealthy foods and beverages to kids anytime and anywhere. That’s why Healthy Eating Research convened a panel of experts to review the research on and identify policies to mitigate harm from digital marketing of unhealthy foods to kids. They found that digital food marketing is harmful to kids’ health and wellbeing — possibly even more harmful than traditional TV ads. This new report lays out a a set of research and policy-based recommendations to reduce children’s exposure to and the power of unhealthy digital food marketing. Visit HER’s website for the complete recommendations and a fact sheet for parents and caregivers: https://lnkd.in/eC9v8Qvm

BMSG and the National Overdose Prevention Network (NOPN) have partnered to support advocates and local leaders in their efforts to communicate effectively about substance use treatment and overdose prevention. Together, BMSG and NOPN have developed a messaging guide providing recommendations and resources for those developing strategies to communicate about overdose prevention with a range of audiences, including rural communities. Read the full guide: https://lnkd.in/gmXdvBdv.

How can we reduce stigma surrounding substance use? What are strategic ways to respond to misinformation? What are some unique considerations when communicating about overdose prevention with rural communities? A new messaging guide developed by BMSG and the National Overdose Prevention Network (NOPN) addresses these questions and more. Read the full guide: https://lnkd.in/gmXdvBdv.